RCG Blog To The Point

It Pay$ To Participate

As the Director of Special Events & Entertainment PR, I know how much hard work goes into brainstorming, planning and executing a media event.

From creating a theme, to escorting VIPs down the red carpet, to encouraging guests to Tweet, it’s all about making sure your guests walk out “experiencing” your client’s product.

So when I’m invited as a guest to an event, my motto is participate! To respect our fellow event planners and hosts, I encourage everyone I’m with to participate. Jump in the social media photo booth, try the specialty cocktail, check-in on FourSquare! Participating is the best way to say “thanks” to the host for inviting you, as they see all their hard work come to life with guest “activation.”

While this builds your relationship with the host, it also gives you the chance to discover new strategies for your next event. Here is an example.

A few weeks ago, our team was invited to the launch of OK!TV at Lavo in New York City. As we entered the midtown celebrity driven hot spot, a greeter briefed us on OK! TV Snap To Shop Social Media Selfie contest. Guests were encouraged to snap selfie photos with OK!TV microphone party favor to promote the party. The best post wins a shopping gift card.

With over 500 guests, celebrities swarming in, catching up with media friends and cocktails flowing, it was hard to focus on our team selfie…

However, as industry members, we made sure to stage our selfie before the end of the night.

Not only did we take home the prize (see winning post below J), but we are going to incorporate the social selfie contest idea into a few of our upcoming client events. We also teamed up with the OK!TV crew and produced a client segment which ran the week the show launched nationally. Double hit!

The “experience” we took away from this event – our team dashing out to Bloomingdale’s to blow our winnings on the latest fall fashions! More #selfies to follow. Thanks OK!TV!